b'Social CapitalStrengthen the accumulated interconnection, goodwill, andcollective trust among members of our neighborhoods andcommunities.5.1 Registered VotersEncourage civic participation in Cheshire CountyWhy is this important?A traditional measure of social capitalvoterVoter Registration and Turnout for National Electionsregistrationis one way to indicate citizens level of civic participation and 100 %engagement in democracy. Voting is one of the fundamental characteristics of a functional democracy.80Population Percent of Where we stand now:In New Hampshire the number of registered voters has been steadily increasing over the years, with national elections garnering more interest.68 60Cheshire Countys goal:We will increase to 75% the percentage of eligible voters who register to vote. 40205.2 Voter Turnout RatesStrengthen civic participation in Cheshire County 01996 2000 2004 2008Why is this important?In contrast to voter registration, those who actually turnNew Hampshire RegistrationUnited States RegistrationTargetout for an election day exhibit a specific commitment and conviction that theirNew Hampshire TurnoutUnited States Turnoutactions will make a difference in the world. A higher voter turnout rate indicates a strong democracy in which decision-making is shared by the majority of citizens, rather than being made by a few for the many.Where we stand now:Voter turnout in New Hampshire has increased over the years and is consistently higher than turnout in the rest of the nation.69Our goal:We will increase to 75% the percentage of voters who turn out to vote.Engaging Our Community In Health 4388222_CMC2.indd 45 2/1/10 12:27 PM'